Gear-shifting mechanism.



B. E, RICHARDSON.

I GEAR SHIFTING MECrANLSF-.

APPLICATION FILED IAII. 8. I9I5.

` Pam-mea, m15, 19m

3 SHEETS-SHEEI INVENTUM XIII /MIWMIIW Br. RICHARDSON. GEAR SH'IFTING MEcHANlswi.

vvrmaseas.

lili

Aipnlination tiled January il, 1915.

To all whom. 'it' mag! moar/n:

Ba it known that, l. Bimini) l. ilicitanoaoft, a citizen oi" the United States, and a resident ot thr city olE Grand Rapids, in the county ot Kent and State of lvliohigan. havo invented a certain new, useful, and l'niproved Gear-Shifting ilfleChanism, of which the following; is a specification, which. in oonnettiion with the accompanying draw ings, makes lnll disclosure of tho construction and operation ot' an einhodiniont of the, in rention that others skilled in theA art may anders-ta -d the saine.

This invention is development, ot' and .iniprovenientv in my previous conatruction for which application for Letters Patent were. tiled Jainl, 19h51n having Serial lilianbrr 'Tail The present construction has the, sante general aims anil purposes as this toi-mer rimstrnotion, attaining them in a marh more ainiple4- and less riz-Silit nannnr and with moans einisisting of comparatively few parts, e il and cheaply manufactured and assenihied. The invent-ion consists essentially in a gear shifting ineehanisni operable by the clutch pedal ot an automobile and adapted to shift the gears in a Sliding gear transmission goaringl and a, selective mechanism located in position for ready across tot operation by the hand, the selection ot' a gear to be shifted into transmitting position being made hy hand and tho actua-l shitting oit the gear to transmitting position tollowing on operation ot' tho olnteh pedal. atter tho rlntrh has been disengaged and an)v gear tl at maiy be in transniitting,` posiA lion returned to neutral. This methanisni by which the selection is done also is so related and eomieifted to the Shifting mechaA nism. that when a gear is Carried into transmitting position. the selecting' meohanis'in .serves to indiratn the l'art and always infliratei-i it as long; as the gear is in transmitting; position. This is a .liti'erent structure trom my previous device in which the Said indicatingI took place when a gear was transferred to transmitting position, but the imlieating feature became ineffective as Soon as the selective inerhanism was opor-ated for another shift'y ot gearing it then indicating what gear was lo be transferrod and not what gear was in transmitting position. These various teatnres, togethor with novel arrangement oi parts and elements to torni a particiilailj; etiioiant and durable tlevi@ at i'pecitioation of Latte-:rs Patent.

Serial No. ,`l.22.

very little oost is tally shown in the. enr-- boriiinenty dinolofetl in tho drawings in which,

Figure il a sido elevation showing; the operative relation ot the invention with an automobile.

Fig'. 2 is a plan View ot' the Selertiro and indicating mechanism shown as viewed. from above the. Steering post.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken centrrollit of tho steering post. and the housing for the selective means near the. top thereof.

Fig. l is a sido View of the upper part ot the steering posty of the, automobile.

F is a sectional View taken throngll the casing inclosiniji; the shifting; ineolnn ,an

and Showing tha parts thereof in neutral.

Fig. (i is a partial sectional and :lf mt ele' ration of the said shifting mechanism.

Fig. is a View similar to Fig. lint showin ingI tha shitting mechanism in poni or enpied after heini.y act/ell anon to shit-'t a lar into tJ nfs-Knitting position.

Fig. 8 is a plan View of the shitting nierh-l anisin, the top of tho Casing inelosing it. lieing removed the outlines ot? the raising.; being; Shown in Section.

tiimilar reference numerals; relier lo Similar parts throughout the several views' ot the drawing.

This invention is ot' especial application to automobiles. in the illustration o l inf.' in rention showin tho automobile is ot usual oonstruction, haring' frame, members; l., L-,lnleh 2 a, clutch pedal 3 for operation oi tho cliitrh in ordinary manner tor disconnecting; thoy power troni the driven parts, a cli-iro shaft 4 leading to the: transmission gearing inrloseil in the @aging or housingn 5. and whieh is ot the usual sliding' gear type. the operation ot' the gears in their shitting being per toi-med immediately by longitudinal move ments of tho rods t5 leading into the rasingl and operatively associated with the sliding; gears in the well known manner. .ill ot' these parts are well lmown and necessary elements ot' an)7 automobile haring a slidingr gear transmission and their construction and relation to eaeh other are well known to thosf skilled in the automobile art. such that, t'mtner Specific description is Vnot thought, necessary.

lloc-ated forward olf the igt-air easing 5 and to one, sitio oli' the ori' e aha/lr "i, l l which contaiin; tha innnoi gai.

' 25 Y rods 6 connected therewith.

' A plurality of members which I will denote y mechanism for selecting and operating a desired gear shift and operatively associated with the clutch pedal of the automobile that it may be actuated by movement thereof after desired selection is made. The housing is comprised of separate parts 8 and 9 Which maybe secured together in any desired fashion and which when so secured form a hollow housing inclosed on all sides. A short distance above the base thereof a shaft 10 is journaled and it carries at one ltheshiftin 16 l terminates short of the 'end thereof and a end the depending arm '11, the lower end of which has pivotal connection with one of rods 6. A sleeve 12 is passed over this s aft for part of its length and I' second depending arm 13 is ixedly secured to the sleeve, the other slidable shifting rod either the term gear shifting arms, and

v by reference numerals 14, 15, 16 and 17 are mounted for oscillating movements in the A'ho'usin to move back and forth therein from t eir central upright positions. Arm 14 is pierced atl its lower end and is formed ,witha journal (passing over sleeve 12 and y"- lilmilarly formed at its lower end and passes is firmly secure to the sleeve. Arm 15 is dyer lthe shaft 10 fitting loosel thereon.

,Armsl and 17 are formed su stantially .identical with arm 15 and are likewise :n ounted on the shaft 11, the arm 16 being pinned thereto to move therewith and the i arm 17 loosely mounted on the shaft. Near .the rear wall of the housing and located a ,distance above the base is a rod 18 supported by and between the sides of the housing and on said rod a pair of links or levers 19 are pivotally mounted spaced apart and from the sides of the housing by sleeves, carried by the rod 18. The levers 19 are centrally mounted on the rod 18 and extend equally distant up and down from the rod and at the upper and lower ends thereo have connected pivotally thereto links 20 which extend forward and are secured pivotally at their front ends to the arms 14, 15, 16, and 17. The links 2O which are attached toarms 14 and 15 are secured at their rear en ds to the same lever 19, while the links attached to arms 16 and 17 are likewise secured at their rear ends to the other lever 19'. n will be clear from this construction ,that when either arm 14 or 15 is oscillated,

its companion arm will be oscillated in the opposite direction and an equal amount as, when arm 14 or 15 is drawn forward, its

atene? `attached link 20 is carried with it turning lever 19 about its pivot and drawing the other link 2O attached to the other companion arm to the rear and the arm following; Accordingly whichever of the arms 14 or 15 is receiver of the force tending to oscillate it, the sleeve 12 will be turned and the arm 13 turned with it tending to operate the rod 6 secured thereto, though the direction of turning imparted to sleeve 12 will not be the same with the forward movements of both arms 14 or 15. For instance, forward oscillatory movement of arm 14 will turn sleeve 12 in the same direction and operate arm 13 to the rear, while forward oscillatory movement of arm 15 wiil turn sleeve 12 in the opposite direction and operate arm 13 forwardly. The same is true with respect to arms 16 and 17 and shaft 10, and a forward oscillation of either arm4 will serve to move the arm 11 attached to shaft 10 in a manner similar to the movements of arm 13 by arms 14 and 15.

The upper edges of each of the arms 14, 15, 16 and 17 are formed in the are of a circle the center of which is coincident with the axis of shaft 10 for the greater portion of the width of 'the arms, said arms near their forward edges being each provided with upward projections 21 as shown. Each arm near the rear upper corner thereof is also provided with a pin fixed thereto and projecting laterally therefrom a short distance as shown at 22.

Three arms 23, 24 and 25 are mounted for pivotal-movement within the housing 7 the axis about which they move being the axis of shaft 10. Arm 23 is received over the sleeve 12 between arm 14 and the side of the housing, andarms 24 and 25 are received over shaft 10, the first being located between arms 15 and 16, and the latter bctween the arm 17 and the opposite side of the casing or housing. These arms extend nearly to theetop of the housing 7 and are joined together by a bolt which is used as a pivot shaft for the four dogs 26 positioned so as to ride one over each of the arms 14 to 17 inclusive, and properly spaced from each other and the ends of arms 23, 24 and byv sleeves as indicated. Pivotally secured to the cehtral arm 24 are a pair of links 27 which at their front ends are pivoted to the rear end of link 28 extending through the front side of member 9 of the housing and which at its forward end is pivotally attached. to still another: link 29, 1t aty its forward end being pivotally attached to the clutch pedal 3 so that on forward movement of the clutch pedal the arms 23, 24 and 25 and the dogs 26 will be carried forward with it as will be evident. Each of the do s 26 is actuated by a spring 30 tending to epress the forward ends of the dogs and retain them in depressed posi- Cest pnl

Said s ,i t toi *me pine. me gli ii iiimy fove oise vi ith the i :im-uml pes? however, the pins met enfle o?? the levers stop 't W "ai iieutiiiil 'iziove'fiient nli L i fi; 11mm :ifitl peiiiioet points; v v i lofiiteil beiwi t 'it of arms lei to tlie iiiojeetions ilie dogs Q6 wider than tte eoliibiiied thickimo iii simi a level: 132i und 11W-1i foi-'Wird 'by n /peietion the 1 i eluicii lul Seid j; will "ide upon the ilfieiiie Appel' sa of tile eif'ei's 34T :ind lie ii ends ol tile dogs will be eiei" ie i? tous" ,l muil have .no e his; i@ e action i central levees i Rifle ot tlie Conilying' lie- Hoger position with their iaiipei'iiie i i in the .suine plinio with llie iipjoeiiiiost points oi the projections il :is iieietoioi'e iiol'efl ilzzuli mit 'i iis formed with a small lmoitmliiizii opening lending.; from the fi'oii time tlieieogt iiilei'ioilv :imi adopted io ieifeii'e t iii-,iii emi oi' n wie 'll iiliieli i. @Leifiiieil wil iii the mit by llie :esmeiif iii :iy elimini. ',Vhei'e are tom.' ot the. vi :imi they e temi ioiiiiiiwl :mit linie zitnoiiiiieiit zal; their 'toiii'iii'il mils to ille series ot liellwiaiiiii leieis #il iiiiotully izioimteel on :i support uit ached to the tool' boni-:l ol tile iront isompzii'timfnt oi 'liie automobile. (Ethel:

l-:i lead from time iefel's -l-l io :i second si .es oi bell-umol( levers i?, pix'ol'ziily inoimml on L .support secured to (im 'iiieliiieii looi iioexitl oi: the :iiioiiiobile in tlie iiliiiieiliizte vicinity ot the foot of ille Steei' fr post'.

Qlfi'om em'li ot the levers -l-l :i wii'e fl-L extends into the steering post L5 the full leiilgg'lli iieifeot having zittaieiiment :it t'lle upper emi to one ot the levers iii, mounted pivoiully' in the lioossiiigg'ti'sei'ui'ed :it ille top ot the .wi-eisiiigg post. The i'oi'wfi'il ends oitlie toni' levers Llj extend boelmiu'iliy through slots; lf3 in the housing nml :it their ends outside of fixe housing :we each provided with :i button i'oi' iezicly ope 'ation by the tingen Enel] initt0n ifziii'ies :iii imliezzting eliziinotei' to yfieiiote the ,speeii ifliicli it is designed to select when opei'silzeil5 the dialnet-irs denoting, respectively the tirait, Heeoiiil :imi tliii'iil ioi'wei'il speeds, nml the one z'e'veifse speed, the usuel m'iziiigeiiieiit iii riliiliiig geni ti'fmemissioiis,

From this description of the construction the operation will be easily unfflei'stootiu Suppose the gem-.s ot the t 'nnsmission to :ill be in neutral position. ln suoli fase, all ot' the :mim il to 7 will loe in upright posit-ion :issliown in Fig. 5. it, new, :L desired shift ifs to be malle, the button emrespoiiding is depressed, this serving to l 'uw itS ussoeiutecl wire "lil foi-ward mul turning the associated level' 554 oo its pivot. depressing the reni'- imxilly eriteiailingA arm ilieieot' :15; shown iii Fig; Y and leaving the illnvmiily projerfrliii extension .21 o1 ille nitizwent geni* Sliiiliii L :ii'm exposed mil subject to engagement by the piwl QG associated therewith when time ellltvli pedal is om'iirdly operated. ltwill lm evident that with tlie i' iur poi-tion of :i levei` 3ldepi'essefl the paxil 2G will not be ein rieti by the inclined section tlxei'eot above the adjacent geur Shifting :m11 unl that with the continued forward movement ot the clutch 'pedal tlie pziwl 26 will strike against the pio jeetioil 2i nml force such :mn forward. wm -i tile (me eiiii ed iioi-Waiizt "u Il miti. ite roel 6 will be fori :i to the. i'eer simil 0 into li'nmiiiittio piisitioo,

used, 1, 3 tml ii' llt i sition. The arin 11 may also be operated rearwardly or forwardly depending upon which of the arms 136 or 17 is actuated. ln any case with the depression of a button followed by forward movement of the clutch pedal to its extreme forward position a gear will be shifted into transmitting position. The reniainin pawls will also be carried forward but will ride over the projections 2l of their gear shifting arms due to the inclined upper edges of the levers 34 which have not been operated and will clear suoli projections without in any manner acting on their gear shifting arms. The gear shifting arm' coupled with theone carried forward will, however, be carried to the rear a distance equal to' the forward movement of forwardly operated arm through the link and lever connection at 19 and '20. 1With the return' of the clutch pedal to normal position', the pawl '26 will ride baekwardlyover the projection 2l of the rearmost gear shifting arm, spring 30 yielding for this op eration, and the pawl will stop a distance back of said projection when the clutch is re'c'ngaged.

l It will be noted that with the forward movement of an engaged gear shifting arm, its pin Q2 is carried forward over the rearwardly extending arm of `its leve-r 34 which has been depressed, permitting such movement, and that when the gear shifting arm has been carried to its extreme forward position, its pin 2Q rests against the upper edge of the rear arin of its associated lever 34 holding it in depressed position and acting to keep the spring 38 compressed, and the Vforward end of the selecting lever 46 associated therewith depressed, in this manner opera/ting as an effective indicating means l to tell which speed is being secured at any time. This will be the case as long as the gear corresponding to such speed is in transmitting position. 46 may thereafter be depressed but if not followed by forward operation of the clutch pedal, will not remain depressed after heilig released. T his provides a simple and very effective indicator of the speed in which an automobile gearing is working and one that at all times actually indicates the gear actually in transmitting position.

When a gear is in transmitting position, the saine operation is gone through with to change to another desired gear. The button corresponding thereto is operated and the clutch pedal moved forward. The lever 34 corresponding to the depressed button has its rear end depressed as before and the pro` jection 2l ofthe adjacent gear shifting arni exposed for engagement by its associated pawl 26. Before such engagement can take place, however, the gear shiftingrfl in which is in rearniost position will have car- Any other of the levers.

reageer ried forward through engagement by its pawl 26, and the arm coupled therewith carried backward until both arms are in neutral position, the pin 22 of the forwardly positioned arm riding down the incline of its lever 3ft until it comes to the end thereof and then permitting the end of the lever to snap upwardly into place, while as the rearmost gear shifting arm is carried forward, the pawl 26 actuating it gradually elevates by reason of its movement along the inclined upper edge of its lever 34 which such gear shifting arm is approaching until, when the arm is atits `central neutral position and its pin E22 strikes against the end of the adjacent lever 24, the pawl 26 has been elevated just above the upper point of the arm, thereby leaving it in central neutral position. it is as this neutral position of the gear shifting arms is reached that a pawl 26 engages the exposed projection Q1 of the arm selected to be carried forward and on further forward move-y ment of the clutch pedal will carry said arm forward accomplishing the shift of gearing selected It will also be noted that the pawls 26 in all instances, when in rearmost position, are a distance back of the projection 2l of any arm even when it has been retracted to its rearmost position as shown by arm 14E in Fig. 7, and that the first or initial movement of the clutch pedal serves to disconnect the clutch before any operation of the gear shifting mechanism takes place. l have indicated by dotted lines fw, a', y, and z, the relative positions of the eenter line passing through the clutch pedal and the shaft on which it is mounted at'various portions of the operation of the gear shift. Line w indicates the pedal with the clutch engaged. Line a indicates the clutch as disengaged and the position at which neutralizing of any gear already in transmitting position begins. Line y is the position when the neutralizing has been accomplished and at which the new shifting of gearing hegins. And line e indicates the foremost position of the clutch pedal and at which the shift has been accomplished. All of the operations follow on forward movement of the pedal and by application of force deliv ered positively to the clutch pedal. lf after a gear is in transmitting position, the clutch is merely to be disengaged, it may be moved only from line. w to line a' and no alteration of the. gearing will occur. lt will be easy to tell how far forward to move the clutch pedal for disengagement of the clutch only, as the striking of a pawl E26 against the projection 2l of the rearmost arm will warn the operator against further forward movenient unless he desires neutralizing of the gearing which will take place if the pedal is forced farther forward. lf at any time' neutralizing of the gearing is desired withf' ice @sa Leases? nected in pairs to the shifting rods one pair I'for each rod, means whereby said shifting elements are pivotally mounted above an axis of rotation, a pin proiecting laterally from the rear upper corner of each shifting element, a series of levers, shifting element pivotally mounted in front thereof and having rearwardly extending arms adapted to engage with the said pins when the shifting elements are in upright position, said arms also having inclined upper edges reaching from adjacent the said pins to the uppermost points of the said projections on the shifting elements, means to individually operate said levers tolcwer 'the rearwardly extending arms thereof, an actuating means pivotally mounted and including a series of dogs movably mounted one for each shifting element and normally positioned back of the said shifting elements, said dogs adapted to ride upon the inclined upper edges of the said levers when the levers are in normal position and to en gage against the projections of the shifting elements when the levers are operated away from normal position, and means for operating the actuating' means forward.

7. A mechanism ada ted for a sliding gear transmission including a slidable shifting rod, an actuating means including a movably mounted engaging device, a shifting 'element inovably mounted andconnected with the Shifting rod,.said shifting element having a projection at the front upper corner thereoic lying in the path of the said engaging. device, a lever pivotally mounte 1n front of the shifting device and having an arm extending backward alon f side thereof,

said lever having an incline upper edge leading from the uppermost oint oi' lthe said projection downwardly an rearwardly below the rear ortion oi the upper edge of the shifting e ement whereby the engaging device may be carried over the said projection, means to lower the said arm of the lever to ermit the engaging device to enage against the said irojection, and means 'or moving the actuating means and engag ing' device forward.

8. A mechanism adapted for a transmission gearin including a pair of slidable shifting ro s, two shitting elements, direct connections between each of said shifting elements and a shifting rod whereby pivotal movement of the shitting element will opcrate the shifting rod connected thereto,

one for each` means for pivotallymounting said shifting l elements, two addltlonal shifting elements pivotally mounted adjacenteach of the lirst shifting elements to thereby form two pairs ci shifting elements, an upri 4ht link pivotally mounted at its middle a istance from each of said pairs of shifting elements, and linlrs pivoted to the ends of each of said upright links and having pivotal connectionr with the two airs of shifting elements, substantially as escribed. v

9. A mechanism adapted for a transmisf sion gearing including movable shifting rods, shitin elements operatively connected to sai shifting rods and pivotally mounted, actuating means pivotally mounted and adapted to move said shifting elements said actuating means including' a series oV engaging devices one for each shifting element, a projection formed at the front up-- per corner of each shifting element, a pm projecting laterall from vthe rear upper corner of each shi in bell-crank levers, one or each shifting element, pivotally mounted in front thereof element, a series ofV and having rearwardly and downwardly ex.

tending arms, the rearwardl arms lying adjacent thje shiftlng elements and normally having engagement .with the pins when the shifting e ements are in up right position, said arms also having irrclmed upper edges reaching from adjacent the pins to the uppermost points of said pro# i extending l sie jections on the shifting elements, wires oper?, r

atively attached to the downwardly extend ing arms of the bell-crank levers, indicating levers pivotally mounted and operatively connected to said wires whereby depression o an indicating lever will cause the operation of a hell-crank lever to lower, its rearwardly extending arm thereby low# ering said arm below the projection of the adjacent shifting element, a lever, connections oining the actuating means and lever j where y forward movement of the lever will forward and draw the actuating means devtce cause the engagement of an engaging thereo with any projection above said wardly extending arms o rears f the bell-crank Y levers and will force the shifting element of said projection forward car thereof over the said rearwar ly extending arm oiits adjacent bell-crank lever, thereb holdingl the indicating lever associate therewith depressed until said hell-crank lever is ffreed l ln testimony whereof, I have hereunto adixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BAYARD E. RCHARDSON. Witnesses:

A. M. Lrnn, lnann; E, 'Lrvnnancn Jr.

mg the pin ist 

